Maximo vs. Army of Zin
2003
- adventure
- action
The story
The story of the game follows on from Maximo: Ghosts to Glory, with Maximo still searching for his lost love, Sophia. He is again accompanied by Grim (a Grim Reaper). However, their search is interrupted as a series of mechanical creatures start to attack villages and slaughter the village folk. These creatures are the Army of Zin, an ancient army powered by lost souls, who were supposedly locked in the vault of Castle Hawkmoor after the last battle with them 500 years ago. However, they are now free, due to the actions of the mysterious warlord, Lord Bane.
What it’s like
Bold medieval-fantasy colours and dark, gothic stonework, with crumbling castle halls, torchlit vaults and sun-washed hillside villages that feel more storybook than grim. The camera trails the hero through wide, readable arenas, and the animation is exaggerated and bouncy, so cartoon violence reads as slapstick rather than realism. The soundtrack is orchestral and bombastic, swelling for boss fights and easing into quieter exploration cues, with a wry narration thread running beneath it. The vibe is campy and tongue-in-cheek, a dark-fantasy romp with a sarcastic Grim Reaper for company. It suits a weekend afternoon with a controller and a bit of stubborn patience. Pacing is brisk and punchy, with short stages, a steady drip of enemies and boss encounters that demand memorised patterns. Violence is frequent but stylised: slashing, smashing and mechanical enemies exploding in bursts of sparks, with no gore and little lingering darkness. The difficulty is punishing, and dying can cost progress, which generates frustration as well as triumph. It is for players who enjoy old-school action platformers and the Ghosts 'n Goblins lineage, and who want their hard challenge delivered with a grin.
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